Bigger isn't always better. In this episode of The REWORK Podcast, 37signals’ co-founders Jason Fried and David Heinemeier Hansson share the drawbacks of chasing high-profile, enterprise deals. The two founders explain why they prefer their business model that's built around serving smaller clients.

Key Takeaways:

  • 00:35 – The biggest clients can quickly become the biggest burden and the biggest risk
  • 07:10 – The hidden costs of “whale-sized” clients
  • 12:35 – Things to consider when defining your ideal client
  • 17:02 – Knowing what types of clients you'll enjoy working with
  • 19:53 – How venture capital funding can make a difference when choosing your ideal clients

Links and Resources:

  • "Don't have a biggest customer" from Jason Fried's HEY World
  • "A Static Business is a Healthy Business" from Jason Fried's HEY World
  • Books by 37signals
  • 30-day free trial of HEY
  • Sign up for a 30-day free trial at Basecamp.com
  • HEY World | HEY
  • The REWORK podcast
  • The Rework Podcast on YouTube
  • The 37signals Dev Blog
  • 37signals on YouTube
  • @37signals on X